Identifying Pharisaic Leaven

This is the lesson outline of what I will teach Thursday night.

Mark 8:14-21

First look at Jesus feeding the 4000.  What is wrong with the picture in verse 4?

In verses 11-13, do any of the Pharisees surprise you?  Why?  Does Jesus give them what they ask for?  What does he give them?

What do both the disciples and Pharisees have in common in this chapter?

What is leaven, btw?  What does he mean by leaven of the Pharisees in verse 15?

How does he rebuke them in vs. 17-18?  How does this describe the leaven of the Pharisees?

Have you seen miracles and signs and still needed proof for Christ? 

In my life: I woke up today.  I’ve had some ding-ups with my cars but have never been killed or sued.  How God led me at just the right time to Trinity to lead the children, then led me to a few volunteer jobs in schools, making me realize I love teaching children the truth but hate public school and don’t want to be a teacher, and how he led me to Clayton State and subsequent friends, which led to testing of my faith, which led to God showing his love in other people who I least expected.  With all that, I still question God and he has to hit me with a 2x4 and show me all he’s done in the past 3 years.  You have any similar stories?

How do we recognize Pharisees and their yeast?  Or false prophets or false teachers?  Let’s go on a rabbit trail to Luke 16:1-13, the dishonest steward.

What did he do to get the people to invite him into his house?  Do you think the boss is going to give him his job back?  Why or why not?

How was he dishonest with his Lord’s treasure?  What did we owe the master?  The debt for our sins will never be satisfied as we are poor and can never pay it.  How was it paid?  Could we pay it?  The price was an infinite punishment by God’s wrath.  It could never end because we’ve sinned even once.  So when you hear people talking about things you need to do to be a saved or to stay saved, what are those people doing?  What if they say no one is going to hell?  They're still cheapening the gift because they’re saying we have no punishment to endure, thus calling God a liar.  You will know Pharisaic leaven by their emphasis on good works, almsgiving, and sometimes even the insistence that people can figure out their own salvation.  Sometimes they will emphasize asceticism, which means…, and forsaking all people and friends.

Now, I do many volunteer things in Conyers, does that mean I’m working to earn salvation?  I often spend time alone studying the things of God?  Am I trying to earn salvation?  No, God does call us to spend time with him and to do good things for people, but he wants us to also love people, love our friends, and give to them without expecting anything, and this is all because we are saved.  And this is all things we do together as a church body, not alone.

So false leaven cares way too much about trying to accomplish good deeds on our own.  And that's pretty much it.